FBI Files

These case files cover investigations by an agency of the US government later known
as the FBI, called the Bureau of Investigation. They include tales of espionage during
World War I, case files for German aliens who were politically suspect, reports dealing
with suspected violations of Federal laws.Serious, as well as far-fetched
accounts . From " The National Archives " .

AT PARAGOULD : INFORMATION WAS FURNISHED U.S.
ATTORNEY RECTOR , AND BY HIM REFERRED TO EMPLOYEE WALSER THAT ABOVE NAMED HAD
FAILED TO REGISTER AND WAS WITHIN DRAFT AGE . MATTER REFERRED TO ME BY MR.
WALSER.

I CALLED AT THE LOCAL BOARD THIS MORNING AND
FOUND THAT ABOVE NAMED HAD NOT REGISTERED , NOR HAD HIS BROTHER C.E. FRITTS . I
TALKED WITH E.E. COX , COUNTY CLERK AND HE SAID THAT HE THOUGHT NEITHER OF THESE
BOYS WERE IN THE DRAFT AGE. I EXAMINED THE MARRIAGE LICENSE RECORDS AND FOUND
THAT W.D. FRITTS , HAD GIVEN AGE 25 YEARS ON 5TH DAY OF AUGUST 1915 , AND C.E.
FRITTS GAVE AGE 27 , JULY 19TH , 1915 . I ALSO SAW MRS. CLIFFORD , SECRETARY OF
THE A.O.U.W. AND THE RECORDS THERE SHOW W.D. FRITTS WITHIN THE DRAFT AGE . SHE
EXPLAINED HOWEVER , THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME CONFUSION AVOUT HIS AGE AND THIS
RECORD WAS NOT AUTHENTIC. I THEN INTERVIEWED BOTH MEN , AND C.E. FRITTS CLAIMED
TO BE 31 YEARS OLD AND W.D. CLAIMED TO BE 32 . C.E. SAID THAT HE GAVE AGE 27 FOR
HIS LICENSE BECAUSE HE WAS SENITIVE ABOUT HIS AGE ; W.D. SAID HE GAVE AGE 25 FOR
HIS LICENSE BECAUSE HE HAD MADE A MISTAKE AND FOUND OUT LATER THAT HE WAS OLDER.
THEIR STORIES DID NOT RING TRUE. THEY HAVE ONLY LIVED HERE SEVEN YEARS , HAVING
BEEN BOTH BORN IN HARDIN COUNTY , ILLINOIS , IN THE COUNTRY NEAR P.O. KARBERS
RIDGE.

THEY CLAIM THERE IS AN OLD BIBLE GIVING THEIR
CORRECT AGES BUT IT HAS BEEN LOST. THEY HAVE PROMISED TO GET AFFIDAVITS FROM
PARTIES WHO KNOW THEIR AGES , AND MAIL THEM TO THE MEMPHIS OFFICE. FUTHER
INFORMATION WAS UNOBTAINABLE HERE. WILL REPORT FUTHER WHEN I HEAR FROM THEM. I
WILL SAY THIS , THAT THEY BOTH LOOK OLDER THAN 30 YEARS.

IN REPLY TO YOUR LETTER OF DEC. 3RD , BEG TO
REPORT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN A GOVERNMENT SHOP BUT BELIEVE THAT I WOULD
NOT BE ACCEPTED ON ACCOUNT OF PHYSICAL DISABILITIES.

I AM 52 YEARS OF AGE , HAVE CURVATURE OF THE
SPINE DUE TO INJURIES AND BOTH HANDS CRIPPLED , WHILE I CAN DO AS MUCH WORK AS
ANY OTHER MAN IN A SHOP , I BELIEVE I WOULD BE REJECTED.

I RUN MY OWN MACHINE SHOP 13 YEARS , AND AT THE
PRESENT TIME AM EMPLOYED AS MACHINIST AT THE WESTERN TYPE FOUNDRY SHOP AT 108
PINE ST. ST. LOUIS , MO.

BESIDES MY WIFE IS INTENSELY PRO-GERMAN ,
ALTHOUGH BORN AT MANCHESTER , ST. LOUIS COUNTY , MO. AND LAST JUNE , WHE THE
REGISTRATION WAS ON , SAID SEVERAL TIMES THAT THE REGISTRATION WAS ONLY TO MAKE
THE GERMANS GO TO WAR AGAINST THEIR COUNTRYMAN AND WHEN I REMONSTRATED WITH HER
WE HAD A ROW , AND SHE SAID PRESIDENT WILSON OUGHT TO BE SHOT.

AT THE PRESENT TIME SHE IS NOT LIVING WITH ME ,
BUT IS TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND LIVING AT PARAGOULD , ARK. AND IF SHE
SHOULD FIND OUT THAT I WAS MAKING GUNS TO SHOOT THE GERMANS WITH , SHE WOULD DO
EVERYTHING SHE COULD AGAINST ME.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE GOVT. PAYS FOR A
FIRST CLASS MACHINIST ? IF YOU WILL LET ME KNOW IF YOU THINK IT IS WORTH WHILE
TO REPLY TO THIS LETTER .

AFTER CONFERRING WITH UNITED STATES COMMISSIONER
E.P. MATHES OF THIS PLACE , AND UPON HIS ISSUEING A WARRANT FOR MACK DANLEY , I
LEFT JONESBORO VIA THE ST. LOUIS & SOUTHWESTERN RAILROAD AT 6:55 A.M.
ARRIVING AT PARAGOULD ABOUT 6 A.M. HAVING PREVIOUSLY WIRED TO AGENT MCELVEEN AT
MEMPHIS , AND HAVING RECEIVED HIS INSTRUCTION TO PROCEED.

AT PARAGOULD , ARK.

LOCATED AND INTERVIEWED A.N. DANLEY , FARMER OF
PARAGOULD RESIDING AT 711 SOUTH 6TH STREET , AND BY CLAIMING THAT I WAS A FRIEND
OF VIRGIL'S AND MACK'S HIS BROTHERS , I SUCCEEDED IN GETTING THE INFORMATION AS
TO THE EXACT LOCATION AS TO WHERE MACK DANLEY WAS. HE TOLD ME I WOULD FIND HIM
AT THE SHUG (SCHUG) FARM SITUATE ABOUT 12 MILES FROM PARAGOULD , ARK. WHERE HE
WAS WORKING A SHARE CROP.

I
ARRANGED WITH THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AT PARAGOULD ,
SHERIFF BOB ELMORE AND CHIEF OF POLICE GLEN NORMAN TO ACCOMPANY ME TO THE
SHUG FARM IMMEDIATELY. I MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH W.J. MOORE OF PARAGOULD LIVERY STABLE
, RENTING A SURREY , THE SAME BEING THE CHEAPEST MADE OF CONVEYANCE ,
AND WE LEFT PARAGOULD AT 3 P.M. , PRECEEDED TO THE SHUG FARM , WHERE WE
FOUND MACK DANLEY WORKING , FIXING FENCE POST , AND UPON THE SHERIFF (ELMORE)
PLACING HIM UNDER ARREST , I GOT HIM TO TELL ME THE INFORMATION OF HIS OWN
FREE WILL TO THE FOLLOWING :

MY NAME IS JASPER MC CUIN DANLEY AND I RESIDED AT
KENAVA , OKLAHOMA FOR ABOUT 14 YEARS AND I WAS A MEMBER OF THE WORKING CLASS
UNION , HAVING BEEN EMPLOYED AS A FARMER , I WAS FOOLISHLY LED INTO JOINING THIS
UNION BY THE ORGANISERS , AND THAT WHEN THINGS GOT TOO HOT AFTER THE UNION
BUCKING THE DRAFT ACT , I LIT OUT FROM OKLAHOMA.

HE DID NOT SEEM DESIROUS OF CONCEALING ANYTHING
AND WE THEN TOOK HIM BACK TO PARAGOULD AHERE THE SHERIFF PLACED HIM IN JAIL TO
AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS AS TO HIS DISPOSITION.

DANLEY FUTHER STATED THAT HE LEFT OKLAHOMA LAST
AUGUST 1917 AND CAME DIRECT TO HIS BROTHER'S HOME AT HATCHIE COON ISLAND , ARK.
AND THAT HE HAD BEEN IN THIS VICINITY EVER SINCE.

I TELEPHONED THIS INFORMATION OF HIS ARREST TO
AGENT MCELVEEN AT MEMPHIS AND HE INSTRUCTED ME TO PRECEED TO JONESBORO , ARK.
AND NOTIFY U.S. COMMISSIONER MATHES , THAT J.M. DANLEY HAD BEEN APPREHENDED AND
PLACED IN THE JAIL AT PARAGOULD ARK. AND ALSO TO HAVE THE U.S. MARSHAL TAKE
CHARGE OF HIM.

IT WAS TOO LATE TO LEAVE FOR JONESBORO , SO I
SPENT THE NIGHT AT PARAGOULD , HOTEL VANDERVOORT.

AT PARAGOULD ARKANSAS - JONESBORO ARKANSAS

HAVING RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS FROM AGENT MCELVEEN
TO RETURN TO JONESBORO , ARKANSAS I LEFT PARAGOULD ARK . AT 8.30 A.M. VIA ST.
LOUIS & SOUTHWESTERN R.R. ARRIVING AT JONESBORO , ARK. ABOUT 10 A.M. WHERE I
NOTIFIED U.S. COMMISSIONER E.P. MATHES TO SEND DEPUTY UNITED STATES MARSHAL JIM
BURNS TO PARAGOULD TO BRING J.M. DANLEY TO JONESBORO AND TO HOLD HIM UNTIL THE
OKLAHOMA AUTHORITIES NOTIFIED HIM AS TO HIS REMOVAL ETC.

I WAS REQUESTED BY SHERIFF BOB ELMORE OF
PARAGOULD , ARK. TO ASK SHERIFF BYRD OF JONESBORO ARK , TO HOLD VIRGIL DANLEY AS
HE WAS WANTED BY THE FORMER AT PARAGOULD ON A CHARGE AND BEING A FUGITIVE SOME
13 YEARS AGO , SHERIFF ELMORE HOLDING A WARRANT FOR VIRGIL , BROTHER OF THE
ACCUSED IN THIS FEDERAL CASE.

AFTER COMPLETING THE ABOVE I WIRED THE CHIEF AND
AGENT MCELVEEN THAT I WOULD LEAVE FOR MEMPHIS AT 4:10 P.M. I LEFT JONESBORO ARK.
AT 5:15 P.M. VIA THE FRISCO RAILROAD ARRIVING AT MEMPHIS AT 8 P.M. AND REPORTED
AT THE MEMPHIS OFFICE TO AGENT MCELVEEN AT ONCE. REFERRING TO A CONVERSATION I
HAD WITH J.M. DANLEY AT THE JAIL IN PARAGOULD ARK. THIS MORNING BEFORE I LEFT
THERE DANLEY STATED THAT THE WORKING CLASS UNION HELD MEETINGS EVERY NIGHT AT
KONAWA OKLA. WHILE HE WAS THERE AND THAT W.T. CORRIGIL HAD BEEN THEIR
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. I ASKED DANLEY IF HE WAS AN OFFICIAL OF THE WORKING
CLASS UNION AND HE SAID THAT A NEW CHAIRMAN WAS APPOINTED AT EACH NIGHT'S
MEETING AND THAT HE WAS CHAIRMAN ONE NIGHT.

AT BLYTHEVILE , ARKANSAS :

HAVING RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS FROM AGENT IN CHARGE
MCELVEEN OF MEMPHIS TO INVESTIGATE , LOCATE AND HAVE THE STATE AUTHORITIES
APPREHEND THIS FUGITIVE , I ARRIVED AT BLYTHEVILLE , ARK. THIS MORING AT 6 A.M.
PROCEEDED TO AND REGISTERED AT THE HOTEL GLENCOE.

REFERRING TO LETTER WRITTEN AGENT MCELVEEN BY
A.S. SNOWDEN THE POSTMASTER OF PARAGOULD , ARK. APRIL 12 , 1918 .

" BEG TO ADVISE A LETTER ADDRESSED TO VIRGIL
DANLEY AT OLD RIVER , ARK. IS BEING DISPATCHED TONIGHT ; THIS LETTER WAS PICKED
UP BY CITY CARRIER , MAILED IN CITY BOX .

OLD RIVER POSTOFFICE IS ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTH OF BLACK
OAK , ARK. WHICH IS SUPPLIED BY STAR ROUTE FROM MONETTE , ARK. I FEEL SURE THAT
THIS IS THE MAN YOU WANT . SIGNED A.S. SNOWDEN , P.M. ....

AFTER CONFERRING WITH SHERIFF COLLINS
AT BLYTHEVILLE , ARK. AND UPON HIS ADVICE TO GET IN COMMUNICATION WITH SHERIFF
WM. BYRD OF CRAIGHEAD COUNTY I TELEPHONED TO JONESBORO , ARK. AND MADE
ARRANGEMENTS TO MEET THE SHERIFF BYRD AT THE BLACK OAK STATION , ON THE JONESBORO , LAKE
CITY & EASTERN RAILROAD AT ABOUT 4 P.M. IT BEING SUNDAY I WAS UNABLE TO
WIRE EITHER THE CHIEF OR AGENT MCELVEEN OF MY INTENDED DEPARTURE FROM
BLYTHEVILLE ARK. THE TELEGRAPH OFFICE BEING CLOSED. I LEFT BLYTHEVILLE ARK. AT 2:15
, ARRIVING AT BLACK , OAK AT 4:10 WHERE I MET SHERIFF WM. BYRD AND DEPUTY
MACK ROGERS , PROCEEDING IN THEIR FORD CAR TO A POINT OF THE ROAD SITUATE ABOUT
9 MILES SOUTH OF BLACK OAK , ARK. THE SWAMPS AND FORESTS , BAD ROADS MAKING
IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO GO FARTHER WITH THE CAR , WHICH WE LEFT AT THIS POINT .
WE WALDED THE REST OF THE WAY TO OLD RIVER , THE DISTANCE BEING ABOUT 5 MILES
, WHERE THE SHERIFF MET A MAN NAMED BARNEY WALKER , A PERSONAL FRIEND WHOM
THE SHERIFF ASSURED ME WAS O.K. AND UPON INQUIRY , LEARNED THAT VIRGIL DANLEY
, LIVED ON AN ISLAND BETWEEN LAKE CITY AND HATCHIE COON LAKE , A DISTANCE OF
ABOUT 5 MILES FURTHER ON FROM WHERE WE WERE AT OLD RIVER . HE SAID THAT VIRGIL
DANLEY HAD LIVED THERE .

HAVING BEEN GIVEN A REPORT MADE BY S.W. GARRATT ,
HOT SPRINGS CONCERNING THE ABOVE , DATED APRIL 27TH I CAME HERE FOR AN
INVESTIGATION.

MR. J. BARNES , LAFE , ARK. STATED THAT BARNES
TOLD MRS. GAEYAN THAT ENGLAND WAS A ROTTEN GOVERNMENT AND THE U.S. WAS NOT ANY
BETTER AND BOTH SHOULD BE IN HELL. MR. BARNES KNEW NOTHING DEFINITE ABOUT BARNER
REFUSING TO FLY THE U.S. FLAG OVER THE POST OFFICE BUILDING . MR BARNES ALSO
STATED THAT IF BARNER HAD CRITICISED THE GOVERMENT AND REFUSED TO FLY THE FLAG
THAT HE BELIEVED IT WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COURTING FAVOR WITH THE GERMAN
ELEMENT IN THE COMMUNITY.

MRS. GAEYAN WAS INTERVIEWED AND SHE STATED THAT
SHE HAD NEVER HEARD BARNER MAKE ANY ADVERSE CRITICISM OF THE GOVERMENT OR THE
ADMINISTRATION NOR HAD SHE HEARD OF HIS REFUSAL TO FLY THE FLAG ; ON THE OTHER
HAND SHE HAD NOTED THE DISPLAY OF FLAGS IN HIS PLACE OF BUSINESS.

MR. R.H.
MILLER , LAFE , ARK. STATES THAT HE HEARD BARNER MAKE THE REMARK ABOUT THE TIME
OF PRESIDENT WILSON'S SECOND REPLY TO THE GERMAN GOVERMENT ON THE LUEITANIA
SINKING ; " WILSON OUGHT TO HAVE HIS HEAD SHOT OFF . "THIS STATEMENT COULD NOT
BE CORROBORATED , MILLER NOT REMEMBERING ANY OTHER PERSON
PRESENT. MILLER STATED HOWEVER , THAT HE DID NOT THINK THAT BARNER WAS SERIOUS
IN HIS REMARKS .

I INTERVIEWED THE RESIDENT PHYSICIAN WHO IS
INTIMATE WITH BARNER , RAILWAY STATION AGENT AND OTHERS OF THE TOWN AND NONE OF
THEM GAVE ANY DIRECT INFORMATION UPON WHICH TO BASE CHARGES.

MR. BARNER , UPON BEING INFORMED OF THIS
INVESTIGATION WAS REQUESTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT. IN HIS STATEMENT HE ALLEGES
THAT FALSE RUMORS HAVE BEEN CIRCULATED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR SOME TIME AND THAT
SOME WRITER FOR COUNTY PAPER HAD GIVEN CIRCULATION TO THESE FALSEHOODS. HE
DEMANDED OF THE EDITOR THE NAME OF THE WRITER AND SECURING IT HE DEMANDED
CORRECTION AND APOLOGY THROUGH THE SAME MEDIUM FROM MR. T.C. TOELKEN , FORMER
POST MASTER . MR. TOELKEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY AN AFFIDAVIT CIRCULATING THE REPORT
WAS FALSE AND WITHOUT FOUNDATION.

I UNDERSTOOD THAT A POST OFFICE INSPECTOR HAD
BEEN HERE AND MADE AN INVESTIGATION OF THE SAME MATTER.

I WENT FROM HERE TO PARAGOULD , ARK. WHERE I
INTERVIEWS MR. SNOWDEN , POST MASTER , WHO COULD GIVE NO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
I RETURNED TO MEMPHIS IN THE EVENING.

C.M. WALSER , ESQ. P.O. BOX 853 LITTLE ROCK ,
ARK.

DEAR SIR :

THE UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION HAS
ADVISED THIS BUREAU CONFIDENTIALLY THAT THEODORE C. BARNER , POSTMASTER AT LAFE
, ARKANSAS , HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM OFFICE UNDER THE CONFIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER
OF APRIL 7, 1917 . IT WOULD BE WELL FOR YOU TO ARRANGE THAT YOU SHALL BE
NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY IN CASE BARNER UNDERTAKES ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES. VERY
TRULY YOURS , CHIEF.

MRS. O.S WATT , 1262 MARSMAN ST. MEMPHIS , CALLED
AT THIS OFFICE TODAY AND REPORTED THAT MR. H.E. LEE , LAFE , ARK. , A FRIEND OF
HER FAMILY , HAD WRITTEN HER AND REQUESTED TO REPORT THAT POST MASTER BARNER ,
LAFE , ARK. PRO - GERMAN IN HIS SYMPATHIES AND HAD BEEN MAKING UNPATRIOTIC
STATEMENTS. HE HAD BEEN REQUESTED BY SEVERAL CITIZENS OF THE LITTLE TOWN TO PUT
THE UNITED STATES FLAG AT THE POST OFFICE WHICH HE REFUSED TO DO , THAT A FLAG
WAS PUT BY SOME CITIZEN AND IT IS CHARGED THAT IT WAS TAKEN DOWN BY MR. BARNER.
MRS. WATT DID NOT HAVE THE LETTER REFERRED TO BUT STATED NO NAMES WERE MENTIONED
BY MR. LEE TO CORROBORATE HIS ALLEGATION.

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AD - 1917

COMRADES : SEND US $1 FOR THIS RAZOR , USE IT 5
DAYS AND IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE IT TO BE EQUAL OF ANY $2 RAZOR ON THE MARKET ,
RETURN IT AND WE WILL EXCHANGE IF FOR A NEW RAZOR OR REFUND YOUR MONEY , AS YOU
DESIRE. FURNISHED WITH PLAIN BLACK HANDLES IN , BLADE . RED FLAG RAZOR CO. ,
PARAGOULD , ARK.